Lugar vote fraud?

Dateline: Tue 06 Dec 2011

On Friday Dec. 2, Lafayette blogger Diana Vice, a grandmother and Tea Partier who wants "to leave the world a better place for my grandchildren," reported that Sen. Richard Lugar, R, does not reside in the Indy home from he casts an absentee ballot when he votes. Thus, he stands accused of election fraud.

Here is what Vice wrote:

"Greg Wright, an Indianapolis resident and Certified Fraud Examiner, filed a formal election fraud complaint with the Indiana Secretary of State on Wednesday against Senator Richard Lugar and his wife, Charlene Lugar.

"Wright alleges that the senator and his wife may have committed multiple felonies for voting in a Marion county precinct, using an address for a home they reportedly do not own.

"'It is my understanding that Senator Richard D. Lugar has voted using an 'absentee' ballot that used as his residence a home located at 3200 Highwoods Court, Indianapolis, Indiana 46222,' noted Wright.

"Wright contends the property 'appears to be owned by Elizabeth Hughes' and deeded to David and Elizabeth Hughes in 1989 and quitclaimed from David Hughes to Elizabeth Hughes in 2003.

"Wright claims he spoke with Elizabeth Hughes recently who reportedly told him that Senator Lugar 'had not lived in the house for 33 years and had no ownership interest in the property'."

Vice continues: "'She appeared shocked that he used that address as his Indiana residence,' wrote Wright while also noting that David and Elizabeth Hughes were also registered to vote using the same address.''

This is a pretty good story, and local bloggers and the political blogger at the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette newspaper have been all over it. The Indianapolis Star is so far noticeably silent.

I'm not terribly political; this is not a wonk blog or even one that pretends to know what goes on in political circles.

But I know Lugar has been in the Senate 800 or so years, that he is an honorable man and that now his honor is being challenged. It's no secret, either, that the Tea Party wants him out.

The bloggers who have written about this issue whom I've read include Paul Ogden of Ogden on Politics and Gary Welsh of Advance Indiana.

Comments

Tell The Truth [Member] said:

The Star wont' run with it because they'd have to admit their reporters were asleep. An official taxpayer/voter complaint to the Stateb Election Board would produce a solid investigation, and if these facts are true, Sen. Lugar is not a Hoosier. Which would be a collosal middle finger to established voter res=gistration laws.

And that's just one possible outcome. Republicans: this is what happens when you insist on tighter and tighter voting laws. Your party has a 35-yearhistory, at least, of tamping-down all attempts to make voting easier. What are you afraid of?

That said:

It's a crying shame that an internationally-respected diplomat like Lugar, has to resort to flinging himself so far right he wrenches his neck in the process.

The Dems have a solid candidate. He will have my November vote. But unless my party needs my Primary vote, I may cross over just to register my disgust for the Tea Party's ridiculous demands. That they could back a loser like Mourdock is beyond me.

2011-12-06 15:47:47

hendy [Member] said:

Lugar can claim any residence in Indiana that he wants. He needs to be a registered voter. He can even have a DC or VA drivers license. Hell, GB the 1st had some hotel room in Dallas as his address when he ran for VP under Reagan.

It's not a hill of beans.

Not that I'm a fan of Lugar, but this deserves about no column inches. Sorry.

The registration laws? Yes, TTT knows what's going on. It's about marginalization. But in terms of Lugar, he's safe. He doesn't have to own squat. He can only claim one residence, and has to be legally registered. That's the test, and it's minimal, and he's obviously grandfathered in.

Should we replace him? Sure. But not with a Flea Partyer.

2011-12-06 18:03:35

Paul K. Ogden [unverified] said:

Hendy,

Lugar can't claim as his residence for voting purposes someone else's house, a house he has not lived in decade. Lugar is signing documents under oath that he resides there when he admits he doesn't. There is no exception in our voter fraud or perjury laws that allow him to do that. None. Lugar is Charlie White on steroids when it comes to this issue. Lugar has done about 30 times what CW is accused of doing once. Then you have the issue of his Char Lugar who can't point to service in federal government as an excuse for signing a false affidavit.

2011-12-06 21:25:49

hendy [Member] said:

He took an oath? I didn't need to take an oath for about 30yrs when I lived in the same ward and precinct in Indy. Charlie White moved, and had to make an affirmation of oath-- and there's where his problem is.

Is Lugar a carpetbagger, not living here in Indiana? Probably not. Look at Dan Coats. A bunch of ninnies elected him, too.

I don't think Char signed anything, either. If indeed he swore it out, living in DC for politicians is part of their job, like living in the Governor's Mansion if you're the governor. I'm sure that Mitch does that, right?

In all seriousness, if they voted in two places, I have a problem. If they don't live here, but live in DC, and vote here, so long as they're consistent in other forms, I don't see fraud. If they've sworn affidavits that claim other jurisdiction, then: nail them. I don't think you'll be able to find a doc that does that. If you can, then we find an honest courtroom, and go from there.

2011-12-07 08:12:44

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2011-12-08 13:30:54

Matt Stone [unverified] said:

I'm not a lawyer so I don't prentend to understand the legalities. But I think most people who have heard this were surprised Lugar is claiming a house on 38th Street, rather than his family farm in Decatur, as his in-state residence. If he had just used his farm's address and voted in that precinct, I doubt this would have ever gotten any attention form bloggers or traditional media.

2011-12-08 15:35:47

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